A VARIED CAREER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21983, 19 June 1933, Page 8

A VARIED CAREER

GERMAN STOWAWAY'S LIFE

BATTLING ROUND THE WORLD (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, June 17. Twice Fritz Kreuzer, the young German stowaway on the Mariposa, has dived from the bows of ships in desperate efforts to escape. After an order for deportation had been made against him in the Police Court this morning he told an interesting story of four crowded years of his life, years in which he has battled his way round $e world on ships and on shore. From the time he left a German orphanage at the age of 17 his has been a varied career. He has done all manner of things, even to the extent of dyeing his hair as a disguise. "All I know was* that the orphanage was in Bremen," he said. " I do not know who my parents are. They gave me a good education, and all my heart was in learning. The orphanage i.xiple would not let me be a clerk, and they wanted to put me on a farm. That was a disappointment, and it took the life out of me. Eventually they put me on a ship engaged in the fishing industry in the North Sea. That was good-bye for ever to the orphanage." Kreuzer had now started to live. He got a job on a ship trading in the Mediterranean, and then transferred to the Hansa line as a regular sailor. The Christmas of 1928 found him in Melbourne as a member of the crew of the German ship Mosel, from which he deserted. He quickly picked up the English language, and his first job ashore was that of a waiter in a big Melbourne hotel. He saved a little money, and went on to Sydney, where he worked for a time as a wardsman in the Crescent Private Hospital, but he was arrested in Sydney and placed back on the Mosel. "I pretended that I wanted to go back to Germany, and so they allowed me a certain amount of freedom," continued Kreuzer. " I was determined to stay in Australia. There was only one way. I dived over from the bow of the boat at Port Melbourne and swam ashore. AH I had on was a pair of dirty shorts and a singlet. I told a tram conductor that I had fallen off the wharf, just as I did here, and he was sympathetic. Until the ship sailed I stayed in hiding, sleeping in railway carriages at night. I dyed my hair, but it was not too good;, it went all rainbow colours. I worked at a holiday resort at Marysville, GO miles from Melbourne, for a time and then went back to Melbourne, where I heard about a job on a sugar plantation in Suva, but I could not enter Suva legally. ; "Then I met my friend, Wright, who was out of work, and I talked him into stowing away. We waited for the Mariposa at Sydney, and at 10.30 in the morning we walked up the visitors' gangway, and' made our way to the cabin class section of the ship. The first night we slept on the tennis court in the first' class, and early in the morning some sailors disturbed us, but did not detect us. We had nothing to eat, but we mixed with the passengers during' the day. The second night we slept behind one of the funnels, and we found some tarpaulins as though they had been put there for us. Next day we played deck games with the passengers. We had £1 each, hidden in our shoes.

"While the other passengers were going through the usual formalities when we arrived at Auckland, we hid behind a shower bath and waited until visitors were allowed on board. We walked off the gangway at noon without being questioned, and made for the nearest cafe. It was the first meal we had had for three days. Then we went to the pictures, and my friend got homesick because there was an Australian News reel showing. We booked a room in Hobson street for 14s a week, and we got some jobs gardening. We made about 30s each per week. We lived here just like all young people, and went skating and to the. pictures. We waited for four weeks until the, Monterey arrived. I sent my friend to the Oceanic Company's office to get some gangway passes, but he was refused, so I went myself and argued with the man. I explained that I had used their ships for travelling before, and that I would be using them in the future. 'I told him that it was not in the interests of the company to,refuse customers gangway passes, so he gave me two. " At 10.45 next day we walked up the gangway of the Monterey. We waved good-bye to imaginary friends on the wharf, and threw some streamers. While the meals were on we hid in the first class toilet rooms. We saw Winooka, the wonderful Australian racehorse, and talked to the jockey and trainer. That night we attended the pictures on board, and the next day we went to the church service. 'At nights we hid behind the funnel. "On the third day one of the officers told us that he had watched us going into the toilet rooms at meal times. I could not bluff him. I told him the game was up, and that we were stowaways. The officer locked me in a cabin, and had a laugh at me. It made me wild. He said I could not escape now, and to prove that I could I squeezed through one of the portholes. Then he handcuffed me. "We were sent to gaol 'in Suva, but it was quite a good place and the meals were good. I was allowed to have a swim, and I trained so that I could jump overboard when I got on the ship again. A fellow promised me a job, and I arranged to cable him what ship [ was going to stow away on. I had it all planned to get back to Suva. I was going to change the colour of my hair again and put on a minister's suit with the collar turned back to front. This time I intended to hide in a lifeboat, where they always keep water and biscuits. I would have been sure of success, but, having failed, I will remain in New Zealand. " I did not like that officer on the Monterey. He took an unqualified delight in telling a man to put us on roast turkey and then sending us bread and water. He said I was a 'tough guy,' and that I had leanings to be a criminal in later years. Some- day I will go back to Australia, where I have many friends. lam determined not to go back to Germany. All my feelings are Australian. They are kind people, and Australia is my mother." The constable called him. Kreuzer smiled. Two minutes later a "Black Maria" rumbled away from the Police Court with the young German telling his story to a handful of prisoners.

GREAT INTEREST IN STOWAWAY

MANY OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT.

1 (Peg United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June IS.

An extraordinary degree of sympathetic interest has been aroused in Kreuzer in Auckland. When he appeared in the Police Court he was ordered to be deported. In the meanwhile his countrymen are anxious for his release from custody on bond. Although it seems definite that Kreuzer vail have to leave New Zealand numbers of offers to employ him have been received. Negotiations to obtain his release on bond were instituted after the court proceedings, but nothing definite was clone. The Austrian trade commissioner, Mr 0. J. Thedens, who is also president of the German Club, has been taking an active part, in the interests of Kreuzer.

Mr Thcdens stated that up to £IOOO could be made available for a bond tor the stowaway if such a sum were necessary. , t It is remarkable what a number ot people have been interested in the case. One farmer came from the country to the city and informed Mr Thedens that he would have no hesitation in finding a position on his property for Kreuzer. Striking as that offer was, it has been only one of numbers. The German Club, through its connections, is in a position to point to several opportunities to employ the young man.